Showing posts with label bomb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bomb. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Why "The Mother of All Bombs" Wasn't Used Before

When the so-called "Mother of all Bombs" or "MOAB" was unleashed in a remote area of Afghanistan recently, some questioned why it hadn't been used before.  The simple fact is that the MOAB is an obliteration bomb; leveling everything in its blast radius.  Its predecessor was the "Daisy Cutter" that weighed a mere 15,000 pounds compared to the "MOAB" that weighs nearly 22,000.

The "Daisy Cutter" was originally developed for use in Vietnam to clear landing areas for troop transport helicopters as shown in this picture:

Can you imagine what impact that bomb would have on any human within its 5,000 to 5,500 blast area if trees can be obliterated in this fashion?  And, that's the problem.  As a result of the later use of this bomb as part of an intimidation program where, in some cases, civilian populations were maimed and killed,  the Geneva Convention was modified in 1977 to make its use against civilians a war crime.  This along with carpet bombing and all forms of area bombing where there could be concentrations of civilians.

Thus, a bomb like the "MOAB" is restricted to remote areas where civilians can't be harmed to avoid committing war crimes under the Geneva Conventions, to which the U.S. is a signatory.

One last thing. Because the "MOAB" detonates above ground and is not intended to create a cratering of the ground, some question its recent use against ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan, and I agree.  We have massive earthquake bombs that would more easily and effectively cause tunnels to collapse.  We currently have a 30,000 "Massive Ordnance Penetrator" at are disposal for this very purpose.  We also used smaller 5,000 pound earthquake bombs during the first Gulf War to destroy tunnel systems and underground complexes near Baghdad. So, this leads me to think that the real purpose for using the "MOAB" was more about intimidation rather than the destruction of a network of tunnels.

References:

Source of Photo: http://www.psywarrior.com/Blu82HeloLanding.jpg

THE United States has dropped a Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb – the largest non-nuclear weapon in its arsenal – on an ISIS tunnel target in Afghanistan: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/605389/US-non-nuclear-bomb-Massive-Ordnance-Air-Blast-Bomb-ISIS-tunnel-Afghanistan

Daisy Cutter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BLU-82

Carpet Bombing, Obliteration Bombing: Geneva Convention: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet_bombing

Earthquake Bombs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_bomb


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Monday, September 14, 2015

The Democrats Officially Own Iran Getting the Bomb

Iran will get a nuclear bomb. Its just a matter of time. Some say in as little as 3 years, and others believing up to 10. At that time, President Obama and the Democrats will be forced to own that fact.

Last week, Harry Reid gained just enough votes to procedurally avoid the embarrassment of the President having to veto a Senate "no vote" on the Iran deal.  Following that, all the House Republicans and only 25 Democrats won a symbolic vote that disapproved of the Obama led deal.  Whether or not he ever saw a dissenting vote from both Houses of Congress, the President will still be politically responsible for Iran getting the bomb.

This will definitely be a problem for the Democrats in 2016.  A recent CNN/ORC poll showed that 59% of those polled disapprove of the President's negotiations with Iran.  Thus, by proxy, those Democrats who voted to "not" go against the President share in the nation's dissatisfaction with the so-called "deal".

Once again, politics trumps what is good for the nation and what is good for our only real ally in the Middle East: Israel.

References:

Senate Democrats protect Obama on Iran vote: http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/10/politics/iran-nuclear-deal-vote-congress/

House goes on record against Iran nuclear deal, in symbolic vote: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/11/house-defeats-measure-approving-iran-deal-in-symbolic-vote/

Poll: Americans skeptical Iran will stick to nuclear deal: http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/13/politics/iran-nuclear-deal-poll/


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Taqiyya (Lying) and Why Iran Can't Be Trusted on Anything

President Obama mistakenly seems to think that we can "honestly" come to an agreement with Iran in order to minimize their nuclear bomb ambitions.  What he fails to understand is that the Prophet Muhammad preached that taqiyya (lying) is moral and good when dealing with an enemy such as the United States.  Here are the Prophet's own words in support of lying:
"Lying is wrong, except in three things: the lie of a man to his wife to make her content with him; a lie to an enemy, for war is deception; or a lie to settle trouble between people (Ahmad, 6.459. H)"
This is why, for decades now, Iran has done nothing but lie to us about their nuclear program.  Consistently, they have told us that it is for the peaceful use of producing electricity and in aiding medical treatment. They have signed several agreements while denying their nuclear weapons program.  And, there is no reason to believe they aren't lying to us now in our current round of negotiations.

References:

Taqiyya: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Taqiyya

Iran Nuclear Program: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Iran

Iranian Embassy Webpage: About Iran's Peaceful Nuclear Activities: http://iranembassy.no/en/6.htm